“Trust is a fragile thing, but sometimes the most unlikely hands are the ones that hold it together.”
The council chamber felt colder than usual, its ancient stone walls pressing in around me like a cage. It wasn’t just the weather. Tensions were running high after weeks of stalemates and setbacks. We had gained ground with the people, but Verauno’s enemies were rallying in the shadows, and rumors of an alliance between Darius and a foreign pack were spreading like wildfire.
“Lady Aria,” Edric said from his place at the council table, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. “There’s someone here to see you. Someone… unexpected.”
I raised an eyebrow, the knot of anxiety in my chest tightening. “Who?”
Edric hesitated, his expression unreadable. “It’s Lord Kael.”
The name hit like a thund
